Creating a More Upright Swing

[captglover]

I thought I had a pretty normal swing, then I filmed some video yesterday at the range... I have a very flat, Hoganesque swing plane. No wonder I tend to draw bordering on hooking the ball...

Anyone know some drills to help create a more upright swing?

Cheers.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Creating a More Upright Swing

To get more upright, start at your spine angle. Stand a littel more upright. This forces your arms to have to lift up rather then around.

Then let the arms stay more in front of the chest through the whole swing. Don't feel as though you are pulling them into the chest at all. Create an imaginary boundry at your shoulders...never crossing that line with the hands.

[bdbl]

Re: Creating a More Upright Swing

I have a very flat, Hoganesque swing plane.
Anyone know some drills to help create a more upright swing?
Cheers.

If any part of my swing could be called Hoganesque I'm not sure I'd change it much.

[pnearn]

Re: Creating a More Upright Swing

I thought I had a pretty normal swing, then I filmed some video yesterday at the range... I have a very flat, Hoganesque swing plane. No wonder I tend to draw bordering on hooking the ball...

Anyone know some drills to help create a more upright swing?

Cheers.

My humble opinion but you are better being flat than steep as long as you arent really overdoing it clearly. More power for sure. I find my arms are lower than my shoulder plane at the top (a la Hogan) as I have a 1PS takeway (inside) but I can really come down hard from there and get more rotational power. What Ive done is experiment with setup and swing path to hit draws/fades as required as a pull hook is my bad shot too

Draw. Align to the right. Close the clubface at address. Swing to right field
Fade. Alight to the left. Open the clubface at address. Swing down the target line

Im finding recently than if im having a day when im hooking the ball its either because my tempo is off (too quick) or my swing path is out (i.e not out to the right). On those rounds i'll go back to fades and play with what I have on the day

I believe Hogan used to fight the hooks but developed a grip, setup, swing path etc that allowed him to hit fades without rebuilding his swing

[bill reed]

Re: Creating a More Upright Swing

hi
hogan use to stand with a closed stance on all his drives and use his hands more to open the face at impact, his fade with a drive was only ever 5/10 feet to the right, he only ever hit drives with an open stance if he wanted a real big turn on them or to hold again the wind, with his long irons he still had a closed stance but not as much as his driver, his stance opened only on middle irons and more on short irons, by keeping ball in same place as his drives he moved his right foot in and out towards the left and also forward and back from the ball, his left foot was alwys in the same place. look at page 125 of his book. he says with a long swing (driver) you have more time to get your hip out the way than you do with short irons so thats why he opens his stance with short irons, a lot of golfers think hogan was like trevino and stood open on all shots but if you look at film he was closed but set up with his feet lined up with target and not to right as you would it you hit a draw.
bill

[captglover]

Re: Creating a More Upright Swing

Thanks to all for the advice, guys!

When I say "Hoganesque" I mean flat, not good or predictable...

Thanks Greg, I'll try that. I wouldn't mind having a flat swing if I could hit a tee shot straight. I either open the face and push/slice it, or draw/hook it, I spend a lot of time fussing with my grip/clubface position and I can't get consistant.

Funny thing, I was out in the drizzle yesturday at Poolesville GC (almost had the place to myself ..) and I was hitting the ball so bad off the tee on the front nine, I decided to use only my 3W off the long tees on the back. I started hooking/pulling those too. Then the last two long holes I got the feeling that turning my hands over at impact, the flat swing, and my hook might be a function of being too far from the ball. I took the 3W, set up an inch or two closer and forced myself to make a straight back/upright takeaway. It felt horribly awkward, but I busted 2 3W shots 240 yards down the middle of the fairway!

pnearn - If I could get consistant with the flat swing, I'd stick with it, but despite many hours at the range, with careful, analytical practicing, I cannot predict my Driver shots. My 3W off a tee is more predictable, but when I get to the course I hit 2 straight, 2 draws, 2 pulls, 1 push, etc. I've videoed my swing and can't see what is different, even slow. But I do notice the flat swing, inside take away. Lately I'm even feeling "uncomfortable" at address, which could be my being too far from the ball. Part of my problem with the flatter swing plane is I think I've been using it to counter my tendency to come across the ball. On video I see my flat one piece take away, then my hips start, and my hands follow the rotation, staying with my torso, instead of staying inside, and so when my hands come to impact, they are on a slight Out-In path.

Bill, funny you should mention Hogan's closed stance... I found myself pulling the ball with my fairway irons during the round (coming across it a bit), and so I tried an 8 iron with a closed stance, dropping my right foot back a few inches. I hit the straightest iron of the day! Of course then I got stubborn and went back to trying to fix my swing path on the next shots, and pulled the shots 10-15 yards left, which I do 60-70% of the time.

I notice that until recently, Arnold Palmer used to have a very closed stance with his driver. He always drew the ball, and I think I remember his swing was rather flat too... Interesting.

I'm not sure which way to go... There is so much theory out there about swings. Some say you should go with your natural swing and learn how to direct it. Others say you need to create the "proper" mechanics.

I am a serious, but recreational golfer (about a 13 handicap currently), but am passionate about it and will do what needs to be done to get accurate in my shots (within my limited budget). Do I try to create a more upright swing, and work it until it gets to be comfortable? Or, move closer to the ball, accept my swing is flat and drop my right foot back a few inches, and try to control my natural swing?

[bill reed]

Re: Creating a More Upright Swing

hi
if you look at a lot of the older pros with strange swings thay all went with what thay had and made it better, the younger tour player tend all to look the same and use the same swing, it your playing off 13 then you must have a good all round game, maybe use what you have and try and tweek it here and there, if you change to a higher plane you could end up rebuilding you whole swing. depends on how happy you are with your swing, 60s and 70 it was a flat swing that was popular and in the 80s a high swing like faldo's, now it seems to being going back to the flat one plane. how tall are you as someone like me at 5"8 tends to be flatter than a 6"2 guy.
bill

[captglover]

Re: Creating a More Upright Swing

Bill,

I'm 5' 10". Maybe I should try to work it out with my current "natural" swing... try that first then re-build. Cheers.